Parents experience of using "cold" facilities at a children's hospice after the death of their baby: A qualitative study

Role of children's hospices in caring for children, young people and families

Children's hospices are central to specialist palliative care provision for the increasing number of children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families. These hospices provide holistic care through a range of services, including ongoing care from the point of diagnosis, at the end of life and into bereavement. This article outlines the services provided by children's hospices, while dispelling misconceptions that they exclusively provide care at the end of life. It also explains how these services have developed and evolved as a result of technological advances. It is useful for nurses to be aware of the role of children's hospices, so that they can support the effective care of children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families.

Paternal Experiences of Perinatal Loss-A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Perinatal grief is one of the most complex and devastating types of mourning for both mothers and fathers; however, there is still little research on the psychological impact on men who experience it. Therefore, the objective of this study was to summarize and synthetize the existing literature on the way men's grief is experienced.

METHODS

A search was carried out to examine three databases for articles published in the last four years; 56 articles were obtained, and 12 were retained for analysis.

RESULTS

Four common themes were found: the men's experience of grief, their role as fathers, the impact of the death, and their needs regarding grief and how to face it.

CONCLUSIONS

There is also a need for discussion of the importance of validating perinatal grief in men and studies that examine it without social gender stigmas in order to provide them with effective emotional support.

Metaphors that shape parents' perceptions of effective communication with healthcare practitioners following child death: a qualitative UK study

OBJECTIVES

To offer an interpretation of bereaved parents' evaluations of communication with healthcare practitioners (HCPs) surrounding the death of a child.

DESIGN

Interpretative qualitative study employing thematic and linguistic analyses of metaphor embedded in interview data.

SETTING

England and Scotland.

PARTICIPANTS

24 bereaved parents (21 women, 3 men).

METHODS

Participants were recruited through the True Colours Trust website and mailing list, similar UK charities and word of mouth. Following interviews in person or via video-conferencing platforms (Skype/Zoom), transcripts first underwent thematic and subsequently linguistic analyses supported by NVivo. A focused analysis of metaphors used by the parents was undertaken to allow in-depth interpretation of how they conceptualised their experiences.

RESULTS

The findings illuminate the ways parents experienced communication with HCPs surrounding the death of a child. Key findings from this study suggest that good communication with HCPs following the death of a child should acknowledge parental identity (and that of their child as an individual) and offer opportunities for them to enact this; taking account their emotional and physical experiences; and accommodate their altered experiences of time.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that HCPs when communicating with bereaved parents need to recognise, and seek to comprehend, the ways in which the loss impacts on an individual's identity as a parent, the 'physical' nature of the emotions that can be unleashed and the ways in which the death of a child can alter their metaphorical conceptions of time.

'Cold bedrooms' and other cooling facilities in UK children's hospices, how they are used and why they are offered: A mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

The death of a child is acutely distressing. Evidence on the benefits and value to parents of spending time with their dead child have now been integrated into routine practice and is regarded as a bereavement support intervention. UK children's hospices have a tradition of using 'cooling facilities' (cold bedrooms, cooled blanket/mattress) to extend this period of time by slowing deterioration of the body.

AIMS

To describe: (1) type and use of cooling facilities in UK children's hospices, policies and practices regarding their use, and any changes over time. (2) Director of care's views on the purpose of cooling facilities and the rationale for hospice-specific practices.

METHODS

An explanatory mixed-methods design consisting two phases: a crosssectional survey of directors of care of UK children's hospices (n = 52) followed by semi-structured telephone interviews with a sub-sample of respondents. Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and interview data using directed content analysis.

RESULTS

41/52 hospices completed the survey and 13 directors of care were interviewed. All hospices had cooling facilities. Some offered use of portable cooling facilities at home, though take-up appears low. Hospices differed in approaches to managing care and duration of use. Views on whether parents should observe deterioration informed the latter. Directors of care believed they provide families with time to say 'goodbye' and process their loss. Challenges for staff were reported.